


Five Guests Lara Invited for Christmas (and One She Didn't)

by Potkanka



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, five-plus-one fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 17:46:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13128672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potkanka/pseuds/Potkanka
Summary: Lara's home is going to have more people over during Christmas than any year before. And there might even be one guest no-one expected.





	Five Guests Lara Invited for Christmas (and One She Didn't)

**Author's Note:**

> I've only just finished it, mere minutes before Christmas dinner. If there are any mistakes, please forgive me. You can point them out, if you want. :D

First guest

 

“Kurtis?” Lara spoke up from the entrance to her library, leaning on the door frame with her arms crossed and brows furrowed in annoyance.

Kurtis looked up from the book he had been studying the whole morning with no results. “Yeah?” He accepted the break gratefully, despite Lara's apparent foul mood. “Did you find anything? Was it bad?”

“No, this isn't about the temple,” Lara shook her head. “It's something I thought… well, Winston was wondering about it, so I decided to take care of it...” she said uncertainly. Kurtis got a distinct feeling this was going to be something concerning emotions. There was this peculiar Lara-speak for it and he was slowly getting the hang of it – or at least he thought so.

“What do you need to take care of?”

Lara huffed and walked fully into the room, rolling her eyes. “You spend a lot of time here.”

“Huh,” Kurtis blinked. “Are you telling me to leave?” He didn't let it show that it actually… stung a little. “I mean, it's fine, I really am here a lot, huh? My apartment is probably covered in dust by now...”

“No,” Lara pushed his shoulder down hard as he was standing up, then she sat on the chair opposite him. “You're not leaving.” Her eyes narrowed. “Unless you want to. But it might make Winston sad.”

“Really?” Kurtis felt _very_ confused now. And should he translate _make Winston sad_ as _make me sad_? Yeah, he should, because it sounded pretty good. “So, uh, what's going on?”

“Christmas will be here soon,” Lara said in an almost eerily neutral voice. “Winston is already planning Christmas dinner and needs to know the number of people at the table.”

Kurtis stared at Lara, but she kept the impassive expression. He probably had to speak up now, then. “Are you… asking me to stay for Christmas?”

“I am asking _if_ you're going to stay. The possibility is here, if you decide so,” she crossed her arms again and looked away.

Yeah, alright. Kurtis hadn't expected this. He hadn't really thought about Christmas at all, even though December was starting tomorrow. It had been a long time since he really had the opportunity to celebrate it anyway… and… well, he might not agree right away to not seem so eager, but Lara might shoot his head off if he was drawing this out.

“Okay,” he leaned back. “If it'll make Winston happy, then why not. I'll stay.”

“Good,” Lara sprung up, the chair screeching on the floor as it was pushed back. “I'm going to tell him, so don't you dare change your mind.”

“Wait, Lara,” Kurtis hasted to add.

“What?” Her eyes, when she turned back to him, were narrowed dangerously.

Kurtis shrugged. “Just wanted to ask if there are any more guests.”

“No,” Lara mellowed a little. “Usually it's just me and Winston.”  
“Any traditions I should know about?” he smirked. “Christmas themed traps in the living room? Poisonous darts shooting from the Christmas tree?”

“You are very funny,” Lara couldn't help a crooked smile appearing on her face, despite the dripping sarcasm. She went back to the chair and sat down, propping her feet on the table. “We don't make a great occasion of it. We do have a Christmas tree. A perfectly harmless one,” she chucked a pencil at him when he started opening his mouth. “I decorate the house with Christmas lights because it's a good exercise to climb the frozen roof. Winston _disagrees_ with that,” she lifted her eyebrows, eyes full of innocent surprise that was almost convincing. “We have a Christmas dinner and a few presents for each other, more symbolic than anything… I send some presents to my friends beforehand… On Boxing Day we travel to Connussie, Winston's old home in Ireland, visit father Patrick and a few of Winston's old friends, take a walk through the countryside… it's a quiet affair.”

“Uh-huh,” Kurtis quirked his mouth. For “not a great occasion” you do lots of things...”

“You've never seen the Christmas parties my parents had each year – probably still have – with hundreds of guests and a small orchestra,” Lara shuddered and then frowned. She didn't particularly enjoy being reminded of her parents.

Kurtis huffed a laugh. “When we were at one of the Lux Veritatis hideouts during Christmas, it was a pretty grand celebration too, though probably for different reasons. Everything was so serious, no-one could be sure it wasn't their last Christmas and there was always work to be done so they couldn't fully relax. And at any time news could come that another one of us died in battle...” Kurtis' face turned gloomy as he fell silent.

Lara didn't talk either for a while. Finally, then she decided to brave it. “So what kind of Christmas are you imagining here and now?”

“Your kind of Christmas sounds fun,” Kurtis waved his hand in her direction.

Lara looked doubtful. “You would be alright with that? Decorating the house and the walking around Irish towns and fields? No additions?”

Kurtis tilted his head from side to side, contemplating. “There were some Christmases I really enjoyed as a kid...”

“Oh?” Lara leaned forward. “And what made those different?”

Kurtis couldn't help but smile softly, both at the memory and at the eagerness in Lara's attitude. “Well, I mean...” he was the unsure one now. Lara might very well not like his suggestion. “It'd be nice… to have more people over. Not because it's expected like at your parents' parties or 'cause we don't have much of a choice like in the Lux Veritatis hideouts. Just people we'd actually like to spend some time with. Maybe even you have some,” he joked at the end to deal with his nervousness.

Lara's gaze was contemplative but turned into a smirk by the last few words and she leaned over to swat Kurtis playfully. “I do have friends.”

“Any you'd invite?”

“I've honestly never...” Lara paused and thought. “Well, as I said, I send them presents, but inviting them over sounds like a bit too much, they probably celebrate in their own way. Not to mention they don't live exactly close by.”

Kurtis could almost see the gears in Lara's head turning. He could easily believe that she had never really contemplated this option. “You can always try.”

“I suppose,” Lara mumbled, deep in thought. The her head snapped up and she met Kurtis eyes. “So who would you invite? Someone who made your Christmas enjoyable as a child?”

Kurtis hummed. “There used to be two, now there's really only one… but you'd invite someone you don't even know?”

“Will they make your Christmas better?”

“I guess so, yeah,” Kurtis said in wonder. “That'd be… pretty great.”

“Well then,” Lara put her feet on the ground and stood. “Let's make a list and send those invitations. The sooner we know the number of guests, the easier it will be for Winston to make plans for the dinner.”

Kurtis closed the heavy book lying uselessly in front of him and stood too, smiling. “And making Winston happy is what it's all about.”

 

Second guest 

 

“Lara, you know I hate to see you like this.”

“Don't look then,” Lara advised in a breezy, light-hearted tone that didn't correspond with her position at the edge of the roof, balancing on the tiles covered in an even sheet of ice. One of her arms was full of coiled cables with little colourful lightbulbs attached, her other hand was hanging the Christmas lights on the eaves.

“Don't worry, Winston,” Kurtis made a few steps to the right through the deep snow to keep pace with Lara from the ground. “I'll catch her if she falls.”

“I've never fallen before!” Lara called in offense.

“There's a first for everything!” Kurtis grinned.

Lara looked down, plucked an icicle and threw it at Kurtis, sharp end first. Kurtis stopped it halfway through its flight, then let it levitate slowly into his hand. “Lara, you're destroying such nice Christmas decorations!”

“Come up here and put it back,” Lara challenged.

“I'd love to,” Kurtis spun the icicle between his fingers, “but who'd be waiting down here to catch you then?”

“You mean you're worried who would catch _you_ ,” she needled.

“I would be happy to do it,” a new voice spoke up behind Kurtis, who all but jumped into the air and then whirled around, the icicle held in his fist like a dagger.

“Mom! You're here early!” he nearly squeaked in surprise, but slowly straightened from his fighting pose.

“I apologize,” she smirked. “Any day the week before Christmas, your invitation stated, and I wished to see you as soon as possible.”

“I don't mind at all,” Kurtis took a step to her eagerly and let her pull him into a tight hug.

“Are you well?” she asked after she took a step back, resting her hands on his shoulders. He was nearly a head taller and she had to crane her neck a bit.

Kurtis smiled and shrugged. “You?”

“As well as I can be. Will you introduce me?”

“Heh, sure,” Kurtis half turned and gestured at the elderly butler who was wading the few steps towards them. “This is Winston, makes sure we don't die of hunger and stuff. Winston, my mother Marie Cornel-Heissturm.”

“My pleasure,” Winston took the woman's hand and kissed it.

“Likewise,” Marie nodded. “A true gentleman, I see. I am sure Kurtis is learning much from you.”

“Yeah well I'm already perfect,” Kurtis puffed out his chest and got a snowball to his face, flung from above.

“Oh and that loony up there on the roof,” he waved one hand upwards while he cleaned his face with the other, “is Lara, the head of the house.”

“Nice to meet you!” Lara called. Then she added: “And you put your money where your mouth is! Catch!” With that she threw herself from her perch, leaving the Christmas lights on the roof. She performed a perfect swan dive, somersaulting once and aiming precisely at Kurtis, who only managed to slow her down before she fell into his arms.

“Good work,” she praised him.

“You made me drop my icicle,” Kurtis accused her with a straight face.

“You poor thing,” Lara shook her head and slipped out of his hold. “I'll get you another one later.”

Kurtis' eyes widened. “Yeah no, thanks.”

Lara gave him a look that told him that his wishes would be disregarded and faced his mother.

“Nice to meet you too,” Marie finally answered and offered her hand, which Lara shook with a smile. “Kurtis has mentioned you – at length – but finally seeing you exceeds my expectations.”

Kurtis rolled his eyes. “She was just showing off.”

“Yes, but how many would dare?” Marie pointed out.

“Please, do not encourage her, Mrs Cornel-Heissturm,” Winston pleaded.

Marie turned to him. “Marie, please. And I will not then. I will merely watch and, maybe, be surprised.”

Lara grinned at that declaration. “Kurtis, I really like your mother.”

“I should be glad but it makes me worried instead,” Kurtis took a step back. “Next you're gonna show her your assau-” he clamped his mouth shut, realizing what he'd done.

“Your what?” Marie asked, innocent curiosity shining in her eyes.

“My assault course?” Lara finished Kurtis' sentence. “Would you be interested in it, Mrs-”

“Marie,” Marie said once again. “And I would, yes. You have your own assault course? Anywhere nearby?”

“In the garden, just around the corner,” Lara pointed to a small wrought-iron gate. “It has motion sensors and cameras that let me know the precise finish time. Of course, it's all snowed in now...” Lara paused, focusing on Marie to gauge her reaction, “but that only makes it more challenging, doesn't it?”

Marie's smile widened. “That does sound good.”

Kurtis groaned. “I've been called an adrenaline junkie. Clearly those people never met the two of you.”

His mother chuckled at his dramatics. “You like adrenaline well enough, Kurtis, don't pretend now. And the assault course sounds like a great idea. I appreciate a demanding exercise that isn't enforced by imminent death.”

That at least gave Kurtis a brief, sullen pause, before he muttered: “Anything with Lara can lead to death.”

Lara and Marie exchanged a look.

“Ah, I'm sorry for being a neglectful host,” Lara exclaimed then. “Let's get inside so you can warm up and settle in.” Marie nodded and they started walking towards the door. “Then I can give you a tour around the house – you'll love the gym – but we should get to the assault course as soon as possible, if you want to try it today. The days are short and it's better to know your way around a little before the night falls. Then it gets even more challenging.”

Marie hummed in agreement. “Sounds like an excellent plan.” Then, to mimic Lara's previous statement, she turned to Kurtis: “Kurtis, I really like your girlfriend.”

The resulting spluttering filled with “technically” and “correct terms” and “not sure what” made her chuckle aloud. Hearing them like that, one would consider them teenagers. But… they sounded happy, and that was the most important.

 

Third guest 

 

“I can't almost see you, you know,” Kurtis called.

“So?” Lara shouted back. “I told you I don't fall.”

“Winston actually ordered me to be here. He can't stand watching it himself for another day, but if he sees me inside instead of here keeping an eye on you, he'll stab me with the carving knife.”

“Sounds fun,” he heard through the heavy snowfall, which was his only warning before an icicle whizzed towards him. Unlike yesterday, it flew the blunt side first and so it didn't stab through Kurtis' hand when he only managed to stop its movement once it touched his palm.

“Dammit, Lara, I said I can hardly see you, how should I've seen this?”

“I didn't throw it the sharp end first, did I?” Lara sounded amused. “I'm being nice.”

Kurtis squinted through the heavy snowfall to see the darker, moving shape that was Lara. “Good to know, I wouldn't notice by myself.” He was gifted another icicle in answer. “Yeah, I think this isn't beneficial to my health. Maybe I should risk that carving knife...”

“Did Winston actually threaten you with a carving knife?”

“No… He was perfectly polite, but still felt… kinda threatening, you know?” Kurtis scratched his head with one of the icicles.

“Then you shouldn't assume,” Lara called. A beat. “He's more likely to keep it classy and poison you tea.”

Kurtis stopped his scratching. “I'm not sure if you're fucking with me or not, but he's _your_ butler so I'm willing to believe it.”

Then they heard a bell.

“What was that?” Kurtis turned around, not that he could see anything.

“It's the gate,” Lara said. They didn't exactly get many guests and if she remembered well, this was the first time Kurtis head the bell at all.

“What a novel thing,” Kurtis commented. “Mom must've overlooked it.”

Lara snorted in amusement. She didn't particularly like anyone getting inside without the alarm going off, but if anyone could do it, she figured a Lux Veritatis warrior, if with her own set of abilities rather than powers of the order she married into, would be a good bet. She had questioned Marie about her methods of infiltration yesterday and was properly impressed.

“Will you check who it is?” she called down.

“If you fall, you're drinking all my tea from now on!” Kurtis warned.

“That's fine, Winston would give me the antidote!” Lara agreed easily. “And then he'd devise a more devious plan for you.”

“Bake me into a Christmas pudding?” Kurtis offered as he started walking through the ever-growing cover of snow.

“Ew, that would just poison me all over again! And it'd be disgusting!”

“Excuse me, I'm delicious!” Kurtis called over his shoulder. “Do you know how often someone almost ate… me...” he petered off. Lara probably couldn't hear what he was calling anyway, but the man on the other side of the gate sure could. And he was watching Kurtis rather worriedly.

“Demons, I was talking about demons,” Kurtis explained quickly, then realized it probably didn't make it much better. Surprisingly, the man nodded in understanding. One of Lara's friends then.

“I take it you're Kurtis Trent?” the newcomer asked in a mild, friendly tone.

“The one and only,” Kurtis drew himself up, “And you...”

“Oh, my apologies, I am Jean-Yves,” the man gave him a smile.

Kurtis looked him over. “Right, Lara did mention you.” He stepped towards the gate controls and flicked a switch to let the shaking man in. “Nice weather, huh?” he commented as he let the gate fall closed again.

“Well, the sandstorms offer similar visibility, and are much more dangerous,” Jean-Yves laughed through chattering teeth, “but I can't focus on the positives in this temperature."

“Figures,” Kurtis snorted and switched to French: _“You don't ever go back to France?”_

“ _Not during winter, no,”_ Jean-Yves answered in the same language. _“You have spent time there?”_

“ _Foreign Legion,”_ Kurtis shrugged. _“I'm your fellow citizen actually.”_

“ _How is the world small,”_ Jean-Yves chuckled and then sneezed.

“ _But maybe we should get into the warmer parts of it, like inside the house?”_ Lara called from above, also in French.

“Lara! How good to… barely see you,” Jean-Yves shouted up at her, eyes squinting. He had switched to English, as he was used to talk with her.

Lara laughed and vaulted up higher, then ran along the edge to reach a spot from which she could jump to a lower roof and then to the ground. “Better?” she asked with a grin.

“Much,” Jean-Yves nodded as he enveloped her in a hug and she reciprocated.

“Wow, good friends,” Kurtis raised his eyebrows so high they disappeared under his hat. Lara gave him an amused look. “Didn't know you were capable of physical affection,” he elaborated. “I mean, sure, but not the way the two of us-”

“I don't think Jean-Yves wants to hear that,” Lara smirked. “Let's go inside before he freezes here."

“Yes, please,” Jean-Yves accepted the decision gratefully.

“I want to hear that,” another figure took shape in the heavy snowfall. “With your vehement denial yesterday, would this make you friends with benefits? Is that what young people call it these days?”

“Mom!” Kurtis stumbled, aghast.

“You were the one who brought it up,” Lara plucked one icicle from his hand and shoved it down his collar. “Let's get inside so I can introduce you without anyone freezing to death in the meantime,” she gestured for Jean-Yves and Marie to follow.

“I'm the one freezing to death now!” Kurtis wailed as he tried to reach the icicle somewhere on his back, making its way down as it melted.

“But at least you won't die by poisoned tea!” Lara strutted towards the main doors.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Jean-Yves shook his head, “but it sounds like this Christmas will be very interesting. Not that I expected anything less.”

“I aim to please,” Lara batted her eyelashes as she ushered her guests in.

 

Fourth guest 

 

“Does it usually take three days?” Kurtis asked, watching Lara finally finish hanging the Christmas lights. An icicle flew at him – a seventh one, he was counting – and he plucked it out of the air with ease. Visibility was great today, luckily, and so he could notice her projectiles.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Lara sang as she hung the last bit with a flourish. “Let's light it up!”

“Just a sec!” Kurtis jogged to the power outlet, grabbing the cable on the way, and plugged it in. He took a few steps back to see so high up better. They both waited several seconds. Then half a minute.

“Something should be happening by now,” Lara crossed her arms.

“Can't say I'm surprised,” Kurtis took on a serious tone. “From my experience, power _somehow_ seems to turn off when you're arou-” he dived to the side to avoid two ice projectiles, then vaulted a low decorative wall and ducked behind it just as another icicle exploded on impact with the bricks. He crawled to the right under heavy fire and reached the high outer wall that provided better cover where it jutted into a corner.

But what a surprise when he found someone else already hiding there.

The two of them stared at each other for one heartbeat. Then the stranger raised his hand “Hi-” only for Kurtis to slam him into the wall, holding him by the puffy jacket.

“Who are you and how did you get here?” he growled. “These security systems are tighter than in a damn bank.”

“Thanks,” the man squeaked half-choked, “I designed them.”

Kurtis paused. “You're Zip?” he asked and relaxed his hold.

“Yeah?” Zip managed but Kurtis wasn't listening any more. “Lara!” he called instead, “I bring you a peace offering!”

“It better be a good one!” Lara shouted in answer.

Zip was yanked by his shoulders and pushed out of their hiding place. “A techie!” Kurtis called in victory.

There was a moment of silence before Lara let herself be heard again: “Accepted.”

“Phew,” Kurtis joined Zip in Lara's clear line of potential fire. “Thanks, Zip.”

“Sure, no problem,” Zip shrugged, but was watching him a little warily. “So what's up? Lara's damn crazy violent but she's got a reason. Usually.”

“The Christmas lights don't work,” Kurtis explained and scratched his head. “I might've hinted it has something to do with her.”

Zip winced but then conjured up a smirk. “'Cause she snuffs out people?”

“How I missed your sharp wit,” Lara commented dryly as she walked up to them.

“Lara! Hey, what's up girl?” Zip grinned.

Lara returned a smile and allowed a short, wildly enthusiastic hug he assaulted her with. “Missed you too,” Lara said. “Do you want to warm up inside or can you look at the lights right away? We pay in mulled wine and Christmas cookies. If Winston bakes any more, they'll start falling out of the windows.”

“Winston's baking...” Zip said with a dreamy look. “I'll demand half the payment beforehand, miss Croft.”

“No problem,” Lara nodded. “You'll be even given a bonus if the lights work by the time the night falls.”

“Time sensitive commission, huh,” Zip put his hands into his pockets and looked at the roof. “Really hope I'm gonna solve this without having to climb up there.”

“No need to worry,” Lara patted his shoulder as she walked past him towards the house. “If you fall, Kurtis will catch you.”

“Aaand I ain't worried anymore,” Zip trilled with the fakest levity as he followed her. “No offense,” he glanced back at Kurtis. “By the way, nice to meetcha, heard a bit 'bout you before from Lara. And with what ya did...”

“What?” Kurtis frowned in confusion.

“Snatchin' a thingie from her? One she dug up from some old tomb? Man, she killed people for way less! You gotta have some tricks up your sleeve!” Then he paused. “Or maybe not _sleeve_ , I guess.”

An icicle stopped thirty centimetres from Zip's face, held mid-air by Kurtis' outstretched hand.

“Blunt end first,” Kurtis commented, “she's got a soft spot for you too.”

“Yeah, well, I'm awesome,” Zip managed with a slightly strained voice. “Uh, thanks.”

“Let's call it even,” Kurtis grinned.

“Definitely not sleeve,” a voice spoke up right next to Zip's ear and made him jump half a metre in the air. “Fuck!”

“Oh my god, mom!” Kurtis whined. It was whining by now, he could admit it.

The older woman put a palm over her heart, feigning surprise at her son's dramatic reaction. “I'm still trying to make sense of your relationship.”

“And I think introductions are in order!” Lara called in forceful cheerfulness, cutting off this course of discussion. Yeah, despite all the icicles, Kurtis could thank her for this at least.

 

Fifth guest 

 

“This one will do, what do you think?” Lara patted a spruce trunk, looking up to its branches.

“Yeah, it looks good,” Kurtis said, circling the tree.

Lara recognized that tone. “But?”

“Well,” Kurtis shrugged, hands in his pockets, “when we walked into the forest intending to steal a tree, I imagined it'd be one we'd be able to cut down and carry without the use of heavy machinery.”

Lara gave him a look that said nothing good about his intelligence. “This is my forest.”

“Oh,” Kurtis blinked. “I apologize, my lady, this humble peasant forgot his place. I would never have accused you of taking something that does not belong to your noble self.” Lara rolled her eyes but Kurtis continued, now in a more normal tone: “But still, how are we gonna get it to your house?”

“We'll make do. First we must cut it. Maybe we could call some of our guests to help, even if that would be quite impolite of me as a host...” Lara mused.

“Yeah,” Kurtis hummed, then paused. “Still not convincing, but it brings up a question about how you did it when it was just you and Winston.”

Lara smirked, unpacking a chainsaw. “I picked a smaller tree.”

“Oh for-” Kurtis threw his hands up. “So why this one? It's not like each person means one more metre for the Christmas tree!”

“I want to,” Lara faced him, expression set into a determined glare. With the chainsaw in her hands, Kurtis acknowledged it was a novel and definitely fear-inducing image.

“Right,” he drawled with reluctance. “I just want to point out, and I think you already know, that even your friends all together won't be able to move it. Which is not a dig at the number of them,” he added quickly. “Just that they're honestly… pretty normal, compared to my expectations.”

Lara raised an eyebrow and the chainsaw. “What were your expectations?”

“Well, I mean,” Kurtis gestured to the whole of her. “Though… I guess if you met someone similar to you, you'd try to kill each other rather than become friends...”

“A fair assumption,” Lara started the motor.

Kurtis took a step back and watched her work. It didn't take very long until the tree began its fall accompanied by cracking and squeaking of the wood. Kurtis finally got to do his part of the job and slowed its fall telekinetically to save the branches from breaking. It fell lightly into the thick cover of snow, making almost no noise. “Okay, and now?” he asked Lara who watched their job well done.

Lara set the chainsaw aside and walked along the tree, inspecting it. “Hmm… could you move it with your powers?”

“Is that what you were planning from the start?” Kurtis crossed his arms.

“Not really,” Lara shrugged, “from what I've seen so far, I don't think you'd be able to move something so large and such a distance without damaging it. I still thought I might ask.”

Kurtis wasn't happy with Lara's lack of faith but at the same time– “Yeah, fine, I wouldn't,” he grumbled.

“Good,” Lara nodded.

“Good?”

“I was right.”

“Great,” Kurtis deadpanned. “Well, can you? At least move it?”

Lara gave the tree a rueful glare. “I'm not strong enough.”

“Sounds like you think you would be if you exercised a little,” Kurtis commented her choice of words, playing absent-mindedly with one of the branches.

“I'm still not in my top shape,” Lara stretched her arms above her head.

“You have unique strengths. Remember the amulet,” a female voice echoed throughout the trees. Kurtis whipped around, weapon drawn, trying to place the source of the sound.

“I'm afraid I won't be able to increase my strength in time for Christmas,” Lara answered casually, with humour. Kurtis glanced at her and received just a tilt of Lara's head in answer.

“If you were to postpone your celebrations until summer comes, I would much appreciate it,” the voice was getting nearer, losing its echoing quality and Kurtis could now hear the crunch of snow with each unseen step. Then the mysterious person came into view. The woman was covered head to toe in dark grey cloak, a staff in her hand as she waded through the snowy cover.

“Putai!” Lara grinned and walked towards her.

“Lara. Thank you for your invitation. Are you well?” The shaman grasped one of Lara's hands warmly.

“Well enough, and you?”

“Quite cold, to be honest,” Putai laughed. “But I was curious enough to brave your land's weather.”

“You won't regret it,” Lara promised, then turned to Kurtis. “This is Kurtis Trent, I've mentioned he spends a lot of time here with me.”

“I am honoured to meet you, warrior,” Putai nodded.

“Err, thanks?” Kurtis said. “Putai, right?”

“Yes," Putai agreed, amused. “I can feel great power in you, as well as stains of the darkness you have fought.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Kurtis shrugged. He'd met much stranger people in his life. Which, by the way– “I take back that “your friends are normal” thing,” he told Lara, then turned back to Putai. “I mean, don't take it the wrong way...”

“That is fine,” Putai smiled, “I assume you would count among Lara's strange friends too.”

“That's–” Kurtis lifted a finger, then lowered it “–actually a good point, damn.”

Lara snorted in amusement, but then sighed. “Well, let's get you somewhere warm, Putai. The tree can stay her for a little while yet.”

“Just because you have no way to move it,” Kurtis mumbled under his breath and then ducked as an icicle flew where his head had just been. “How–” he wailed and looked around. “There aren't even any icicles in sight!”

“That's my secret,” Lara smirked.

“Is that a tradition here?” Putai asked, inspecting one branch hanging low nearby her and the glaze of ice on it.

Lara tapped her chin thoughtfully. “No, but it should be.”

Putai walked over to the felled tree. “But this tree is a tradition, am I right? I have seen people cutting down some more, not far from here. Although those were much smaller.”

“They what?” Lara froze. “Where?”

“Just around–” Putai started but was interrupted by Kurtis:

“Lara, what are you doing with– Lara, put the chainsaw down.”

“I won't. I might put _someone_ down though.”

“Lara,” Kurtis groaned but she wasn't finished:

“Putai, I am so sorry for being a bad host, but there is something I need to do. Kurtis will walk you to the mansion.”

“I understand,” Putai said mildly. “Good luck on your hunt.”

“Really?” Kurtis sighed. Lara's friend indeed.

“Thanks!” Lara put on her best bloodthirsty grin as the chainsaw roared to life, held high in Lara's hands, and then the hunter was off.

“Really?” Kurtis repeated, to no-one in particular.

“I take it you know her well,” Putai said. “Do you truly expect her to kill someone like them?”

Kurtis wasn't convinced. “You mean the mental scars won't be enough? I expect a heart attack or two.”

“They seemed in good health, strong, to handle the trees. Although I still wonder...” Putai left the sentence unfinished, giving a telling look to the felled tree Lara had chosen.

“Lara's idea, Lara's problem,” Kurtis raised his hands, palms out, and tried to convince himself of the truth of his words. Not with much luck. When Lara had a problem and wanted to share, there was no avoiding it. “Wanna head back?”

“Yes, thank you,” Putai pulled her cloak around her tighter.

“So anyway,” Kurtis started as they made their way among the trees, “why did you come through the woods instead of the road? To the house?”

“I took the road, but then changed course when I felt Lara's presence here,” Putai explained.

“So you took the shortest way to her… did you make a beeline all the way from your home?” Kurtis laughed.

“Yes,” Putai agreed, “I turned into a flock of ravens and flew here.”

“Oh, okay, I mean, why not...” Kurtis raised his eyebrows high, unsure of what to say to that. Then he noticed the corners of Putai's mouth twitched. “Ah, yeah, good one,” he laughed.

“I'm afraid I simply flew by a plane, Mr Trent,” Putai smiled fully.

“Kurtis,” Kurtis said with a grin. “You know, I honestly wouldn't be surprised either way.”

“Kurtis,” Putai nodded. “And I believe you. The world is full of wonders, is it not?”

A blood-curdling scream echoed from somewhere deep in the forest. If they didn't see Lara marching that way a few minutes earlier, it would be quite disturbing. Or, a little more disturbing than it was now.

“Yeah, “wonders” is one word for it,” Kurtis agreed.

 

Uninvited guest 

 

“It's a shame Charles can't come,” Lara commented as all current residents sat for breakfast.

“Who is it? Is he sick?” Marie inquired, buttering a toast.

“My old history teacher,” Lara sipped her tea. “He is perfectly fine, celebrating Christmas at home with his family.”

Marie accepted it with a nod, but Kurtis was suspicious of Lara bringing him up. “And you're saying it because you'd really love to see him, not because you want more manpower for that tree, right?”

Zip groaned. “Not like it'd help! Lara, this is crazy!”

“We'll see yet,” Lara said determinedly and Jean-Yves and Winston merely exchanged a knowing glance. Lara didn't know the words “give up”. Maybe the whole matter in Egypt had made her learn them for a little while but she was doing a very good job erasing the phrase from her vocabulary again. That was a good thing, a sign of healing, but it also lead to situations such as this one.

Putai was watching this with great amusement. “Did you invite anyone else?”

“No,” Lara sighed. “Well, Father Patrick, but I knew he couldn't come anyway. He could hardly leave his parish during Christmas. So it's up to us!” she beamed.

“Wow, such Christmas spirit,” Kurtis propped his cheek on his hand, his elbow resting on the table. “Willingly cooperating with several people. At once!”

Lara gave him a sweet smile that promised pain and Kurtis wondered if she's going to pull an icicle out of nowhere, but before she could do anything, Winston, who was preparing more tea, gasped horror.

Everyone turned to him at once. “Winston?” Lara asked. There wasn't anything wrong at first glance, but then she noticed Winston's hand on the tap. “You don't mean...” she started with a sense of foreboding.

“It seems we are without water,” Winston stated, still watching the offending tap.

Zip and Kurtis stood up at once, chairs scraping loudly on the floor.

“Explosion imminent, please evacuate the premises!” Zip called.

“Dibs on a nuclear bunker, is there any?” Kurtis asked.

Lara narrowed her eyes at them. “Very funny.”

“I am sure they will repair it soon,” Jean-Yves said in a soothing tone. “This sometimes happens in winter, am I correct? With the pipes in such cold?”

Kurtis nodded. “Yeah, Lara, everything will be fine, you'll see.”

“Yup, no need to panic!” Zip waved his hands, panicking.

Lara gave them a supremely unimpressed stare. “Well, as we can't finish our breakfast without tea and I'm apparently volatile to be around in enclosed spaces, I suppose we can go for the tree right away.”

“It will be a nice morning exercise,” Marie smiled and Kurtis couldn't help but think she was doing this to annoy him.

“And the effort won't allow us to get cold,” Putai chimed in. Oh, she was having fun with this too.

“Then let's go, everyone!” Lara ordered. “Winston, please make a call to find out more about this problem.”

“Of course,” Winston was already walking out of the kitchen.

“Lara, you don't really expect–“ Jean-Yves was compelled to ask as they were marching across the hallway.

“We are getting the tree home, by whatever means necessary. And because we have no running water,” she yanked the door open, “if you want to drink, you're going to have to melt the snow, which works very well with us being out–“

“Nooo running waaater!” a booming voice interrupted her. “Gooood!”

Lara turned forward from Jean-Yves. “Look what the cat dragged in,” she wondered and put a hand on Kurtis hand, preventing him from throwing Chirugai he was holding. “It's fine,” she said to Putai holding her staff prepared to attack, and to Marie, aiming at the newcomer with a custom-made pistol.

Zip peeked from over Lara's shoulder. “Fine???”

Lara turned back to the newly arrived horseman. “Verdilet. What are you doing here?”

“Watching the lot of you!” he gave a loud answer.

“Why do I never learn,” Lara murmured. “Did Father Patrick send you to my home, to arrive today?”

Verdilet took a moment to search for loopholes in her question. “Yes.”

“What is Father Patrick's reason for you being here now?”

“All the people in his house! I only have to hide! I am booored!” Verdilet said with more anger that the statement warranted. Then again, Lara knew boredom, so maybe she could sympathize a little – if she wanted.

“No demon hunting with Father during the holidays, huh,” she commented.

“Er, Lara,” Kurtis spoke up. “ _This_ is a demon.”

“Then he's ideal for the job,” Lara shrugged.

“As if I want toooo!” Verdilet shrieked.

“He didn't keep his demon name safe. The priest makes a smart use of it,” Marie put her gun away, smiling in appreciation.

“He's an arsehole!” the demon howled.

“Not enough not to send you on holidays,” Lara crossed her arms with a grin. “And let you watch TV. I doubt you learnt that word from him.”

“I have other words for him too!” Verdilet straightened in the saddle. “Such as-”

“Alright, enough,” Lara stopped the slew of colourful words that was sure to come out of his mouth. “It's fortunate you're here though.”

“It is?” Zip asked.

“It is?” Verdilet asked.

Lara hummed in satisfaction. “Very much so. Verdilet, we are going to need your horse.”

After a moment of confused silence, Kurtis slapped his forehead. “Oooh!” Everyone else was soon sporting the same expressions of comprehension.

Verdilet, meanwhile, didn't take Lara's demand well. “What? My steed! I will never give it to you! My faithful companion for centuries, how dare you ask – such insolence– “

His words passed over her head without acknowledgement. “Let's go, there's no reason to stand around!”

“Demon to the rescue!” Zip cheered weakly but with clear relief anyway.

 

“All problems have a way of resolving themselves in time,” Putai said sagely as they walked from the forest in a row. Lara and Kurtis first, choosing the best way and cleaning their path of any larger obstacles, then Putai, admiring Verdilet's demonic horse that was lead by its grumbling master, and finally Marie, Jean-Yves and Zip who were walking alongside Lara's desired tree and making sure it wasn't suffering any damage as it was being pulled towards her estate.

“My steed is not a beast of draught!” Verdilet said, in a slight variation, for about the fifteenth time.

The horse itself didn't look particularly bothered to be used that way. It didn't even seem to be extending much effort but, well, a demonic horse, who knew how its body worked.

Maybe it was luck of maybe the fate itself fearing Lara's wrath, but the walk went through without a hitch.

“Winston, we're back!” Lara threw herself inside and busied herself unlatching both wings of the front doors to allow for the horse and the tree to go through.

Kurtis, who knew his way around the premises, had already been instructed to bring the large tarps from the storage. Winston would probably have an aneurysm if the combination of snow, hooves, bark and needles touched the polished floor and carpets. Oh and… horse excrements. Demonic horse excrements. How its body worked, really now?

Verdilet looked pleased by his steed's present to the household and Lara had to remind herself that pushing his face into the turd would reflect bad on her as a hostess, despite the unclear position Verdilet had among the invited guests. A shame.

Winston was watching it rather unhappily.

“What about the water?” Lara asked him to divert his thoughts from the offending heap.

“Still nothing. The services informed me they are working on it and should be done by noon.”

“That shouldn't be long by now,” Lara nodded, satisfied.

Winston vacated the premises so he wouldn't need to watch the mess in the hallway and the rest soon fixed ropes around the tree trunk and begun lifting the tree. Verdilet was only watching, not trusted enough not to ruin it somehow. If Father Patrick was there, it'd be different, he had decades of experience giving Verdilet clear orders without unfortunate loopholes. As it was, the demon was left alone and slowly becoming… bored again. Or so he looked to Lara, when she glanced at him during their efforts. Damn Father, he had sure known what he had been doing, saddling her with the moody creature.

“So how is Father? Is he well?” she called at Verdilet. Some distraction better than no distraction.

“He is well. He is aggravating, annoying, awful–“

Lara listened in fascination as Verdilet started reciting adjectives he attributed to Father Patrick, _alphabetically_. He must be… really bored. If there were more trees he could help pull, that would be probably the best, as he'd be too annoyed to… Oh. Trees.

“Verdilet!” Lara stopped him, excited. Her own tree was just about finally standing still and she also had a great idea, everything was working out amazingly. “I have a task for you!”

“I do not care– “

“Shut it, you're going to like this one,” Lara brushed off her hands. “It's Christmas Eve tomorrow, so there will be many people getting their trees at the last minute...”

Putai chuckled and Kurtis groaned: “Just don't give him the chainsaw.”

“That would be hilarious, but also ruin the impression,” Lara waved her hand. “Verdilet, there are always some people stealing trees from my forest. Now, I don't want you to kill them, not even injure them in any way. And don't indirectly cause their deaths either. But I want you to drive them away, by any means necessary. Anyone who is cutting down a tree or is carrying a saw, an axe, any kind of wood cutting tools, is to be chased out.”

Verdilet wanted to stay annoyed, but he couldn't hide from the rest the pique of interest. “They may experience any fear I wish?”

“Yes,” Lara agreed sweetly. “The forest I own is surrounded on all sides by an asphalt road, only on the north side it extends over it and ends by the fields. It's a rather large area, but with your horse you will manage easily, won't you?”

“Is this one of those… Christmas gifts?” Verdilet wondered.

“You can take it than way,” Lara said. “It will be your gift to me at the same time, as I'd greatly appreciate it.”

Verdilet seemed a little dissatisfied with making Lara happy in any way. The he grunted. “The priest said something about a Christmas spirit. It sounds stupid, but I suppose I can do something for you, as it is Christmas.” With that, he jumped onto his horse and turned it towards the doors.

“Thank you! Have fun and come back here before midnight today!” Lara called after him as he rode out of the house.

“It sounds terrifying but I also really want to see that,” Zip summed up most of the thoughts of everyone present.

“Maybe if we have time after decorating the tree,” Lara promised him. “Now, who's going to climb to the top? I would volunteer but I wouldn't want my guests to miss on all the fun.”

“How very kind of you,” Jean-Yves took a step back, busying himself with opening up the boxes with Christmas ornaments.

“No problem,” Marie calmed him, “me and Kurtis can do this easily.”

“Mom, really–“ Kurtis started in exasperation, but then watched one of the baubles float from a box and hang itself near the very top. “Oh,” he uttered and followed his mother's example to levitate another glass orb up high.

“I _suppose_ this works too,” Lara watched it with crossed arms, dissatisfied.

“This is a nice tradition,” Putai commented, hanging an ornament on the tree, although only at a height she could reach.

Zip took an armful of ornaments at once and hanged them in an _at sign_ pattern. “Yeah, it's fun.”

Jean-Yves hummed in agreement, also joining in on the decorating.

“Alright, alright,” Lara sighed, defeated, but they all saw that she was smiling underneath it anyway. They were enjoying themselves and that was what mattered. She came up to the tree and started hanging up some baubles herself.

And if, some time later, a sprig of mistletoe “accidentally” started floating above Lara and Kurtis' heads, the two didn't shoot Marie any accusing glances and instead did as the tradition dictated.


End file.
